The present invention generally relates to a bowling center and, more particularly, to a bowling center configured for practice bowling and other enhanced features.
As described in U.S. Pat. No. 3,738,652, the game of bowling consists of ten turns, or xe2x80x9cframesxe2x80x9d, for each bowler. A bowler is allowed to bowl two balls to complete a frame, although if the first ball knocks down all ten pins, the frame is completed and the bowler is credited with a xe2x80x9cstrike.xe2x80x9d If any pins are left standing after the first ball, the bowler bowls the second ball and if the bowler knocks down all of the remaining pins, the bowler is credited with a xe2x80x9cspare.xe2x80x9d The bowler""s score in a frame is the number of pins knocked down plus a bonus if all of the pins are knocked down in a frame. The bonus for a strike is the total number of pins knocked down by the next two balls bowled in the succeeding frame or frames; thus a strike counts 10 plus the total number of pins knocked down by the next two balls bowled by that bowler. The bonus for a spare is the number of pins knocked down by the first ball in the next frame. If a spare or a strike is made in the tenth (last) frame, the bowler is allowed to bowl an extra one or two balls, respectively, to complete his/her score.
In order to improve their scores, bowlers sometimes bowl practice games. While these practice games may lead to improvement, they generally do not provide a structured environment designed to improve the specific weaknesses of particular bowlers. The systems and methods described in this application provide such a structured environment. For example, as mentioned above, if a bowler fails to knockdown all the pins with the first ball of a frame, the bowler rolls a second ball in an attempt to knock down the remaining pins. In accordance with one aspect of the systems and methods described in this application, a record is maintained of a bowler""s successes/failures at knocking down particular configurations of pins with the second balls of frames. This record is used to control a pinsetter during practice sessions or practice games. For example, if during a practice game a bowler fails to knock down all the pins of a particular pin configuration with the second ball of a frame, the pinsetter is controlled to reset that pin configuration to provide the bowler with one or more opportunities to again attempt to knock down all the pins of.that pin configuration. Whether a particular pin configuration is reset may be determined in accordance with various factors including, but not limited to, the bowler""s previous successes/failures at knocking down all the pins of that configuration; the bowler""s previous successes/failures at knocking down all the pins of that configuration relative to the successes/failures of other bowlers of similar skill levels; the price paid for practice game; etc.
The record of a bowler""s successes/failures at knocking down particular pin configurations with the second balls of frames may also be used to generate a practice session for the bowler in which a pinsetter is controlled to set various pin configurations that the bowler attempts to knock down. This record may also be used to reward bowlers for knocking down all the pins of a particular configuration (e.g., as part of a contest) or to provide targeted advertising.
The accompanying drawings, which are incorporated in and constitute a part of the specification, illustrate various embodiments of the present invention and, together with the general description given above and the detailed description provided below, serve to explain the principles of the invention.